Gage-glass.



G. H. SARGENT.

GAGE GLASS. APPLICATION FILED IuIIE I4. |911.

Patented Nov. 19, m18.

l @mm GEORGE H. SARGENT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 SARG-ENTCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GAGE-GLASS.

Application led June 14, 1917.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SARGENT, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gage-Glasses, ofwhich the following is a specication.

My invention relates to water gage glasses, and particularly to animprovement on the construction shown in my prior Patent No. 1,176,251of March 21, 1916.

In that patent the advantage was set forth of providing a specifiedclearance between the outer surface of the tubular glass and the innersurface of the protecting element. This principle has been found to becorrect and of the utmost importance. However, certain diiiiculties havebeen encountered in holding the rotecting glass panels in place, in theselection of the proper material for molding and in securing the moldedglass panels.

I have conceived of a construction in which a flat rectangular glasspanel may be advantageously employed. In this device I utilize ametallic shell similar in form to that shown in my prior patent referredto. The hydraulically setting material employed for setting the glasspanels is preferably composed of substantially equal por tions ofPortland cement and crushed marble which after having been poured andallowed to set is treated with a cement hardening solution. Thissolution so hai-dens and vitrifes the substance that it becomessubstantially as hard and incompressible as glass and holds the panelswith great firmness, at the same time resisting any tendency to breakwhen struck by splinters of the glass tube whenever the latter breaks.

It has heretofore been thought essential to provide glass panels havingconvex surfaces in order to magnify the water column. I have found thatit is not essential to employ protecting panels having convex surfacesas the magnification of the water level, as is well known, results fromthe curved cylindrical glass walls of the waterstube, so that theoptical eif'ect created results in the water level being very marked andconsequently easily discerned by a quick glance.

The object of the glass panels is to provide means for protecting thewater-tube or glass fromexternal injury o-r violence, andv` in the eventofthe fracture of the inner tube specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

semi No. 174,684.

panels so as to avoid any strains on the glass.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherebyproper illumination of the water column may be obtained, withoutinterfering with the attendants vision.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a -gage glass protector constructed in accordance with myinvention, and

Fig. 2 is a. transverse section thereof.

In the drawings, it will be seen that the. metallic casing is composedoftwo annular heads. 10, 11, internally threaded to accommodate thecouplings 13, 13, within which the nipples 14, lare secured. The twoheads are connected by solid panels 15, 16, at diamctrically oppositesides. The sight open ings 17, 18, are provided in the casing in theother two sides.

As shown in Fig. 2, the metallic sides 15, 16 are dished or recessed, asshown at 19, 20, to receive a suitable hydraulically setting material 21which is molded in the the casing. In order to properly mold thematerial 21 with the edges of the glass panels embedded therein, asuitable core or mandrel is employed to provide a chamber 24 extendinglongitudinallyv throughout the casing and adapted to receive the usualgagetube or water-glass 25. For the reasons mentioned in my prior PatentNo. 1,176,251

the transverse dimensions of the chamber are but slightly greater thanthe outer diameter of the tube 25, so as to provide a minutespacebetween the tube and thev inner surfaces of the lass panels 22 and23, as shown in F 1g. l. he transverse dimensions of the chamber 24 aresuch as to perv mitl slight variation in thediameter of theA hardened,as hereinafter described; the particular composition or material hereinspeciiied and treatment mentioned, providing a filler or inner coatingfor the casing that will not be affected by splinters of glass when thewater gage glass is broken; furthermore, this ller provides anunyielding solid and rigid mass whereby the glass panels mounted thereinare enabled to resist pressure, as the rigid unyielding nature of thefiller prevents any torsional or unequal strains being set upv in theglass. Experience has shown that glass panels mounted in a materialwhich is in the slightest degree ductile or elastic causes the utilityto fracture and hence destroys the glass panels of the device. In thematter of expansion and contraction, I have found that the expansion andcontraction of the glass, the metal casing and the hardened filler to beso nearly equal as to form a perfectly solid imperishable unit; thatis,.the expansion and contraction of any one of the several elements isso nearly like all the other elements that no fracture, distortionordamage results, as would be the case if therel was nnequal expansion orcontraction of the respective elements of the casing.

'To provide proper illumination of the water column, without fear ofblinding the engineer 0r fireman, I provide, in the particularexemplification, verticallyv disposed slots 29 in the metal sides. ofthe casing. The object of the invention is to provide openings or slotsso disposed that light will l be projected into the chamber in which thewater-glass is located without affecting the attendants vision; In'thespecific exemplification of the invention, the light admitting openings29 are positioned so as to register with' the edges ofl the glass panels22, 2 3; the iiller 21 being cut away or provided with slots adapted ktoregister with the slots '29. f When the gageis in position, a hoodedlight is mounted so as to direct the provision of suitable means betweenthe casing and the boiler connections. Several objections areencountered in the present type of washer. rlhe water glasses 25 oftenvary in size, usually in diameter, with the result, that if when astandard sized washer is used on a water glass that is small, the

joint therebetween is not water tight. Furthermore, where the usualrubber washer is employed2 the high heat of the water in the waterglass, melts the rubber and causes it to run down to thev lower end ofthe waterglass where it is apt to clog the orifice of the tube andpermit a boiler explosion toA red sult. As shown in the drawings, theenl larged portion in the boiler connections 14 is lnecessary because ofthe aforesaid variations in theI water glasses, hence, the washer mustserve as the sole means of making a water and steam tight connectionbetween the water glass and the casing.y

To overcome these difficulties I have provided a combination gasket,comprising the end membersV 26, 27, composed preferably of braided orwoven asbestos and if desired provided with lead insets, and an inter-Vmediate member 28 preferably of rubber mounted as shown in Fig. l. Theasbestos washers are unaffected by the, great heat and also by thepressure which is necessaryin securing the several parts of the casingtogether, Hence, as pressure is lbrought upon the gaskets, the kportionthereof surrounding the glass tube 25 is forced tightly against theouter surface of the tubing thus scaling the jointA and preventing anyflowof the rubber which might result if the rubber became molten;furthermore the rubber member 28 is forced into sealingfengagement withthe glass and the side walls of the couplings. 13.

The desired hardness of the filler 2l is secured in the followingmanner. The filler 2l may be formed by combining equal quantities ofPortland cement and crushed marble. After the filler has hardened, thecasing with the filler is allowed toJ remain in a; .bath of waterapproximately twelveI hours. It is then ren'ioved and allowed to drywhereupon it is immersed in a bath of' suitgivenA another treat-ment `ofthe cement hardening substance The fil-ler will thus be of an ext-reinehardness substantiallyequal. to that of glass so that it cannot becbroken or abraded bysteam or splinters orfragments of glass. v Theglass,- filler and metal frame as hereinbefore described form a rigidand substantially imperishable unit which is adapted to withstand theunequal and varying temperatures induced by the hot water or steamflowing through or into the water-tube a-nd the atmosphere surroundingthe exterior of the gage glass, and will also adequately protect thewater-tube.

I claim:

l. In a age glass, the combination of a rigid meta lic casing havingside openings, flat glass panels of rectangular cross section mounted insaid openings and held in place by a hydraulically setting material, asquare space being outlined, and a cylindrical gage glass in said space,substantially as described.

2. In a gage glass guard, the combination of aI rigid metallic casinghaving diametrically opposite elongated apertures, the metal surroundingthe apertures being inwardly curved, Glass panels having plane sidescovering said openings, and a material capable of hydraulically setting,within which said panels are mounted, the setting material and the glassanels defining a rectangular space within w ich a gage glass is adaptedto be accommodated with a relatively small space between the exterior ofthe glass and the sides of the opening, substantially as described. l

3. A gage comprising in combination a transparent glass tube, a casingtherefor, the casing having two transparent opposite walls and twoclosed walls, the several walls defining a central space within whichsaid glass tube is mounted, the walls thereof being spaced from the saidwalls of the casing, the closed walls being provided with aperturesdisposed therein, extending along the edges of the glass walls wherebyto admit light thereto, substantially as described.

.4.. A gage glass, comprising an integral metal casing having sightopenings in two opposite longitudinal walls thereof, rectangular glasspanels disposed therein, hydraulically settingl material within whichthe glass panels are held, the walls of the casing having their edgesinturned to form pockets for said material, with the walls of thecasing, at right angles to the walls having the sight openings, providedwith apertures substantially throughout the length of said glass panelsand in register with the edges of said glass panels whereby light isadmitted thereto, and a glass tube mounted within the casing with itsouter surface spaced from the inner surface of the casing walls.

5. A gage glass, comprising an integral casing having elongated andoutwardly flaring sight openings in two opposite sides thereof, the endsof said casing terminating in enlarged head portions provided withinternally threaded orifices adapted to receive coupling means forsecuring said gage glass in place and establishing communicationtherethrough, hydraulicall setting material of substantially uniform tickness disposed on the inner walls of said casing, fiat glass panels,rectangular in cross section and of comparative thickness, disposedtransversely of said sight openings with the marginal edges of saidpanels embedded in said material, a water glass disposed longitudinallyin said casing intermediate of the glass panels, and means whereby saidwater glass is maintained in place in intimate relation with said glasspanels but without contact therewith.

6. A gage glass comprising a metallic outer casing, two opposite wallswhereof are provided with elongated sight openings, hydraulicallysetting material of substantially uniform thickness covering the innerwalls of said casing, a' pair of glass panels disposed transversely ofsaid sight openings with their marginal edges embedded in said material,the glass panels and said material being arranged to provide a chambereX tending longitudinally through said casing, a water-glass arranged insaid chamber in intimate relation with said glass panels but withoutphysical contact therewith, and light admitting openings arranged in thewalls of said casing and in said material adapted to admit light towardthe waterglass without effecting communication between said chamber andthe casing exterior.

7. A gage glass, comprising a metallic casing provided with elongatedopenings in opposite sides thereof, hydraulically setting materialarranged along the inner walls of said casing, glass panels arranged insaid casing transversely of said openings and with the marginal edgesthereof embedded in said material, and light admitting openings arrangedin the walls of said casing and in said material adapted to admit lightinto the space between said glass panels.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 5th day of June, A. D. 1917.

GEORGE H. SARGENT.

Witnesses:

HENRY M. I-IUXLEY, E. K. WHEATON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byladdressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. l

